Sluice



Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

NlTE STATES FRANK VINCENT ELSDEN, O'F PRESTWIGK, SCOTLAND.

SLZUICE.

Application filed May 12, 1923. Serial No. 638,597.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK VINCENT ELS- DEN, a subject of the King of England, and residing at Prestwick, Ayr, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sluices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to head sluices for irrigation canals for diverting water from a parent channel into a subsidiary channel branching oii' therefrom and has for its object to provide means whereby only water containing a relatively small quantity of silt shall be delivered to the subsidiary channel from the parent channel while the water which is more heavily charged with silt is retained in the parent channel.

To this end, according to this invention the head sluice for the subsidiary channel comprises a substantially horizontal partition in the parent channel adapted to separate the upper and lower layers of water therein and to direct such upper layers into the subsidiary channel. Preferably a guide wall is provided extending upwardly from the horizontal partition adapted to divert the water passing above the partition into the subsidiary channel and a vertical wall may be provided in the parent channel adapted to divide one side of the stream therein from the other and, in this case, the horizontal partition conveniently extends from this wall to the side of the parent channel adjacent the subsidiary channel. In a preferred construction an adjustable pivoted flap is provided on the upstream edge of the horizontal partition adapted to vary the effective level thereof and an adjustable sluice gate may be provided to vary the quantity of water flowing over the partition. If desired a vertical wall may cooperate with the pivoted flap to vary the area of the aperture through which the water is diverted into the subsidiary channel and an operative connection may be provided between the sluice gate and the pivoted flap so that the amount of water passing over the horizontal partition bears a fixed relation to the inclination of the flap.

Two constructions according to this invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan.

Figure 2 is a section on the line C(l of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section on the line DD of Figure 1. if Figure 4 is a plan of the upstream end of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the upstream end of the head sluice shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a modified arrangement.

In the construction shown in Figures 1-5, the parent channel 1 has a subsidiary Chan nel 3 branching 01f therefrom, the direction of flow from the two channels being indicated by arrows A and B. Formed in the centre of the parent channel and parallel to its length is a vertical wall or abutment 6 from which a horizontal partition 7 extends to the side of the parent channel adjacent to the subsidiary channel. This horizontal partition constitutes the floor of the entrance to the subsidiary channel and has a curved guide wall 11 so that the discharge opening into the subsidiary channel is approximately at right angles to the direction of flow in the parent channel.

The partition or floor is made as thin as possible and placed at a suitable depth below the normal water level in the parent channel. At its upstream edge this fioor is provided with a hinged flap or separator 12 which, when horizontal, forms an extension of the floor and separates the upper from the lower layers of water to a depth at which the water in the parent channel is unlikely to contain excessive silt.

To provide for variations in the level of the water in the parent channel the upstream edge of the flap 12 can be raised and to this end while the main portion of the partition 7 may be of uniform thickness and may slope slightly downwards from the upstream edge, the flap is preferably of the same thickness at its hinged end as the partition or floor 7 but tapers gradually from that edge to its free or upstream edge where it is as thin as possible thus forming a horizontal or approximately horizontal out water.

Where inconveniently large pressures are not likely to be encountered the hinged flap 12 can also serve as a sluice gate to vary the effective opening 9 of the head sluice through which the water is discharged into the subsidiary channel. The lower sluice opening 8, which may be termed the under sluice,

need not necessarily be provided with sluice gates but where such are necessary they are preferably provided at the downstream end of this sluice way and as illustrated at 15 in Figure 5 may be in the torm of ordinary vertical sliding gates of the Stoney or other suitable types.

The width of the hinged flap or separator is preferably greater than that of the sluice opening so that its sides move in recesses 13 formed in the abutments 5 and 6 as shown in Figure 1, suspension links 18 "for operating the flap being disposed within these recesses and thus leaving a clear waterway. Alternatively the hinged member 12 may be the same width as the sluice opening the suspension links 18 being housed in grooves 20 formed in the side walls of the sluice opening and engaging projections from the sides oi the flap, the upper ends of the links being connected to a cross-head 19.

When the hinged flap or separator 12 also serves as a sluice gate it is arranged to butt against shoulders 14: torn'ied by the rear wall of the recesses 18 so as to close the sluice way completely, the upper edge of the flap either being above the water level in the main channel or engaging a vertical wall such as that shown at 17 in Figure 5.

To obtain the best results it is important that the distribution ol silt in the parent channel shall be disturbed as little as possible above the upstream side of the tree edge of the flap or separator and the creation of swirls and eddies must be avoided. To this end the abutment 6 should be shaped as a fine out water at its upstream end and the side slope of the parent channel, on the side on which the head sluice is built, "from a point som distance above the sluice should be given a gradually decreasing batter until it becomes vertical at the upstream edge of the pivoted flap or separator.

The lower sluice opening 8 beneath the partition 7 and its separator or flap 12 must be maintained at such a size as to carry back to the parent channel 1 all the water from the parent channel which enters between the abutments 5 and 6 below the floor or partition 7 and to this end it may be necessary to lower the level of the water in the parent channel at the downstream end of the under sluice without affecting the level at the upstream end of the head sluice. This may be attained by constricting the parent channel along a line at right angles to its length through the downstream end ot the under sluice and the constriction may be effected by means of either a horizontal or vertical projection which will not cause an appreciable loss 01' head in the stream it the slope of the projecting 'all is gradual.

If desired a plurality of smaller head sluices may be provided instead of a sluice limited to a single span although the number of spans should be restricted as far as possible.

Although the most advantageous position for the head sluice is that shown in the drawi a s the invention is equally applicable where the plane of the discharge openings to the subsidiary channel is not at a right angle to the length of the pi nt channel.

Vfhen the level of the water in the parent channel fluctuates only through a small range, the flap or separator 12 may be lined per position or may sari] i l on or the tlap.

desired the hinged tlap may be used to ate the water in the parent channel at a level than the floor or partition 7 when the out et from the nut er sluice 8 i. wholly or partly closed.

il icit l claim as my invention and desire .c b letters Patent is l. ahead sluice for irrigation canals tor diverting water from a parent channel into a snusidiary channel branching oil therefrom, the con'ibination of a substantially horizontal )til'tltlOll adapted to separ: e the upper and lower layers of water in the parent channel, an adjustable tlap pivoted to the upstream edge of the horizontal partition means for adjusting this flap and means for r'liverting water from the 1113131 layers ahov tne horizontal partition into the subsidiary channel.

2. in a head sluice for irrigation canals, tor diverting water from a parent channel into a subsidiary channel branching o'll' therefrom the combination of a vertical wall separating one side oi. the stream in the parent channel from the other, a substantially horizontal partition forming a floor extending from the vertical wall to the side oi the parent channel adjacent the subsidiary channel adapted to separate the upper and lower layers of water in the main channel, an adjustable flap pivoted to the upstream edge of the horizontal partition adapted to vary the level at which said Tiiii layers are separated, means for adjusting this flap and a guide wall extending upwardly i i in the horizontal partition adapt ed to direct the water flowing above the partition into the subsidiary channel.

3. In a head sluice for irrigation canals for diverting water from a parent channel into a subsidiary channel branching off therefrom, the combination of a vertical wall separating one side of the stream in the parent channel from the other, a substantially horizontal partition forming a floor extending from the vertical wall to the side of the parent channel adjacent the subsidiary channel adapted to separate the upper and lower layers of water in the parent channel, an adjustable flap pivoted to the upstream edge oi the horizontal partition adapted to vary the level atwhich said layers are separated, means for adjusting this flap, a guide wall extending upwardly from the horizontal partition adapted to direct the water flowing above the partition into the subsidiary channel and a sluice gate adapted to vary the quantity of water flowing over the horizontal partition into the subsidiary channel.

l. In a head sluice for irrigation canals tor diverting water from a parent channel into a subsidiary channel branching 0a therefrom, the combination of a vertical wall separating one side of the sn'eain in the parent channel from the other, a substantially horizontal partition forming a floor extending from the vertical. wall to the side of the parent channel adjacent the subsidiary channel and adapted to separate the upper and lower layers of water in the parent channel, an adjustable flap pivoted to the upstream edge of the horizontal partition adapted to vary the level at which said layers are separated, a vertical wall cooperating with the pivoted flap to vary the area of the aperture through which the water flowing above the horizontal partition passes, means for adjusting the pivoted flap and a guide wall extending upwardly from the horizontal partition adapted to direct the water flowing above this partition into the subsidiary channel. I

5. In a head sluice for irrigation canals for diverting water fro1n.a parent channel into a subsidiary channel branching ofi therefrom, the combination of a substantially horizontal partition forming a floor in the parent channel adapted to separate the upper and lower layers of water therein, an adjustable flap pivoted on the upstream e or the horizontal partition adapted to y the eli'ective level of this partition, means for adjusting the pivoted flap, a vertical wall cooperating with the pivoted flap to vary the area of the aperture through which the water flowing above the partition flows, a guide wall for directing such water into the subsidiary channel and a sluice gate adapted to vary the quantity of water flow ing above the partition.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK VINCENT ELSDEN.

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